Type-bar mechanism



H. ETHERIDGE.

TYPE BAR MECHANISM.

APPLICATION HLED MAR. 17. 1920.

1,380,788. Patent-ed June 7, 1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 J4 F g H. E'THERIDGE.

TYPE BARMECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 17. 1920.

1,380,788. I Patented June 7, 1921.

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\v 2 SHEETS SHE" entree earner HERBERT ETHERIDGE, 0F EALING, ENGLAND, ASSZGNOB TO THE BAR-LOCK TYPE- WRI'IER CGEVIPANY, LEMETED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

TYPEBAR MECHANISM.

,esoytss.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June "Z, 1%21.

Application filed. March 17, 1920. Serial No. teases.

This invention relates to type-bar mechanism ior typewriters or" the kind wherein the type bars and sublevers are carried upon a movable segment, and the sub-levers have their one end connected to the type-bars, and their other ends connected with the keyrs by means of connecting links, the principal object of the invention being to improve the relative arrangement of the members the action, wherein the submounted in an improved manner. Another object is to provice an improved mounting for the sub-levers.

ile this end, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts described hereinafter and pointed out in he claims.

A construction of typewriter parts embodying the present invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which l igure '1 is a side elevation 01" the parts referred to with adjacent parts in section, and

Fig. 2 is a'rear elevation of some of the parts shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings the type-bar segment is shown at A, one of the bars only being shown at B in Fig. l, but three being indicated 'in Fig. 2. The type-bars are all formed from identical blanks as is commonly done, the type-carrying ends being adjusted to take account ofthe radial disposition of the bars and yet present the type in proper vertical relation to the platen. Sub-levers l) are supported upon a frame C having the shape of an inverted yoke, to the upper end of whose limbs the segment A is secured, and whose weblike lower portion C the sub-levers D are carried.

T he mounting of each sub-lever upon the web C is by means of a pivot-pillar E, a

separate pillar being provided for each sublever and constituting its pivot-support. It

will be observed that the pillars are arranged on the web in groups of four, there being four rows of keys in the bank, one such group being inclosed in the dotted line 0 in ig. 2. Each pillar is split in its forwardly projecting end to receive and guide a sub-lever between the jaws thus formed, and each sub-lever is carried by a pivot-pin l traversing the jaws and the sub-lever. The base of each pillar is received in a circular recess E countersunk in the face of the web and is held in position by a screw E passed through from the back of the web and threaded into the base of the pillar. The segment-end of the sub-lever, that is to say the end directed toward the type-bar segment, engages the type-bar with a pinan d-slot connection at B and each sub-lever is here bent as shown most clearly at D in Fig. 2, so that the end D of the sub-lever is radial to the segment and thus properly alined to the end of the type-bar. At its opposite, that is to say, its lower, end the sub-lever is bent as indicated at D to bring theseends parallel to one another thus enabling the sub-levers to be all connected to their key-levers G by links F that are parallel to one another. The key-levers G are pivotally hung at G so that the links F are thrust members. 7

The holes in the web C for the screws E are preferably made a little large and the recesses E also made a little large, in order to allow slight lateral adjustment of the pillars E upon the web in a direction at rightangles to the length of the pillar. This enables the pivotal point of each sub-lever to be individuallyadjusted during assembling and rotational movement of the pillar about its longitudinal axis enables the direction of the pivotal axis to be nicely adjusted and with ease. All the sub-levers may be thus mounted and adjusted in relation to their type-bars and. the frame C carrying these parts he then placed in position in the machine.

The object or. the arrangement in rows of the key-lever ends of the sub-levers is to enable them to be connected to the key-levers by links of which the ends attached to the key-levers do not rise and tall but of which the ends attached to the sub-levers do rise and fall and in such a way as not to occasion movement of the type-bars. The slight tendency for the links to exert a pull or thrust during the shifting movement may be taken up by the necessary slackness of the various pivotal points or may be nulified by the normal position of the links being as much below the horizontal as they are above the horizontal when in the shifted position.

It will be seen from the drawings that in the type-bar mechanism shown, the sublever is straight, that is, the points of pivoting are approximately on one straight line, the arrangement of the key-levers, sublever, the connecting link between the keylever and the sub-lever, and the type-bar, is such that when the latter is in the inoperative position, a line passing through the pivotal point G of the key-lever and the point at which the link is connected to this lever, will lie approximately parallel to a line passing through the pivotal points of the sub-lever with the link and with the typebar respectively, and that a line drawn from the face of the type through the point of pivoting B of the type-bar to the sub-lever will be approximately parallel. to the link. Further, it will be observed that the angle formed by the line passing through the point of pivoting G of the key-lever and the point at which the link is connected to the short arm G, with the line passing through the two pivotal points of the link are approximately at right-angles to each other when the type-bar is in the inoperative position.

Among other advantages of the construction thus provided may be pointed out the fact that it provides the shortest path from the type-bar pivots to the sub-lever pivots assuming that it is desired to retain straight tails to the type-bars. Further, the bending of the lower tails of the sub-levers enables a short stiff connection to be employed as the thrust-member between the key-levers and these points, and any one sub-lever may be removed or inserted without disturbing the others.

It will further be observed that the point on the key-lever and the point on the sublever selected for their operative connection with one another are. so positioned that the line of thrust of the key-lever is approximately-at right-angles to the virtual arm of the sub-lever when the parts are at rest.

sublever, a key lever hung by a hook on the frame of the machine so as to be readily detachably fulcrumed thereon, and a horizontal link pivotally connected to the front end of the key lever and at the rear end to the sub-lever, whereby each type action can be assembled and adjusted in a machine and removed therefrom independently of the others.

2. In a typewriting machine, the combination of a shift frame comprising a segment, and a plurality of independently removable type actions detachably mounted thereon, a plurality of independently adjustably pivots mounted on the frame of the machine, each of said actions comprising a vertical sub-lever removably mounted on one of said pivots and detachable therefrom independent of the other sub-levers, a normally horizontal type bar hung on said segment, and readily detachable therefrom, said type-bar being pivotally connected to the upper end of the sub-lever, a key lever removably hung on the frame of the machine as to be readily removable therefrom and a horizontal link pivotally connected at the front end to said key lever and at the rear end to said sub-lever, whereby each type action can be assembled and adjusted in the machine and removed therefrom independently of the others, substantially as de scribed.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HER-BERT ETHERIDGE; 

